They All Lived Story 38: Impulse
by LadyWordsmith
Summary: Edward's student needs to learn a lesson in priorities, so Ed lays down the law and arranges a little training exercise. Ed and Al have a brotherly chat. Ethan's intentions regarding Lia are called into question by someone else, and he doesn't like it!
1. Chapter 1

**August 22****nd****, 1960**

Ethan Elric stared blearily into the bottom of his hot mug of chai as he sat at the linoleum covered table in the Hospital dining hall in the town of Yama-kodachi, in Eastern Xing. For over a year now he and Lia had been stationed in the mountainous area; Ethan finishing up his education under the alchemical doctor who ran the small regional hospital and Lia teaching Amestrian language and history to middle school and high school students.

Working with Doctor Saito had proven to be everything of an experience Ethan had hoped. As a regional hospital, the Yama Hospital provided medical care not only to the people in the town, but also to the smaller villages and farms in the region surrounding it, where narrow roads – often dirt – and long travel and poor conditions made it hard for people to easily seek medical care.

In some ways, while bigger, the area reminded Ethan of Resembool. People were people, and country folk were country folk. He and Doctor (name) had just spent three days up the mountain doing a regular needed village run. In that three days Ethan had personally treated ten colds, five fevers, thirteen breaks and sprains, two black eyes, three stomach bugs, one split skull, and delivered three babies. They had gotten back only an hour ago and it was late afternoon. Not wanting to throw off his sleep schedule, Ethan had come down for a drink and – possibly – a cat nap.

"Nice to see you're still alive," a welcome voice chuckled as Lia sat down next to him and kissed his cheek. "Though shouldn't you be asleep? You look exhausted."

"You think I drink this stuff for my health?" Ethan chuckled, gesturing toward the highly caffeinated spiced tea beverage so popular in the area.

"Well you _are_ a doctor," Lia smiled, though there was a look of mild concern on her face. "You really look beat, Ethan. Did you sleep at all on the trip?"

"Some," Ethan replied. That much, at least, was true. He didn't feel like getting scolded though. He leaned in and gave her a more thorough kiss. "How were your _darling_ students today?" he teased. Going into the second year, the Xingese students – and indeed the entire population – had gotten used to having Ethan and Lia around. Amestrians were a very rare sight this far into Xing's interior, and in such a traditional and conservative part of the country, they had done their best to fit in and not offend anyone. Lia's students seemed to find it interesting to no end that Miss Swanson and Doctor Elric were romantically involved!

"Nosy as usual," Lia replied. "Bing figured out how to say 'are you available tonight, baby?' in Amestrian over the summer. It seems to have made him very popular with the girls, and unpopular with the parents. I've had to assure three that I certainly did not teach him that in class!" She didn't seem too upset though.

"How did you find this out?" Ethan asked with a smirk and a stifled yawn.

"He asked me if I was available," Lia replied. Bing Shuei was one of her high school seniors. A cheeky young man who seemed fascinated with Western cultures.

"What did you say back?" Ethan privately thought it a good thing Bing didn't know Ethan was the jealous type.

"I told him his pronunciation needed work," Lia winked. "Then we continued with the class. So, when do you get off shift?"

"Now," Ethan replied. He was trying manfully not to fall asleep right there in the table, despite Lia's sitting beside him in a very professional – but very attractive in his mind – dress suit. She wore her Amestrian fashions to class as part of the cultural demonstration, though she usually kept to local dress otherwise when out in public. That, too, made people seem more comfortable with them. It also helped, Ethan supposed, that he was living in a barracks that actually had been set up for the doctors working the region who weren't married, and Lia shared an apartment with two other young unmarried Xingese women who taught at the school. The two complexes were only five minutes' walk apart, though Ethan found it amusing that there were actually lease rules on both forbidding visits by members of the opposite gender other than blood relatives or during very specific visiting hours.

"Good," Lia stood up and put a hand on his arm. "Then you should have some real dinner and get some sleep. Oh," she pulled a small sheaf of envelopes out of her pocket. "You got mail while you were away." Ethan reached up for it but Lia snatched it back with a playful smile. "Oh no. After you wash up and eat you can have them."

Ethan shook his head and stood, draining his cup of chai and then returning it to the dish line. "All right," he smiled. "Let's go." Visiting hours lasted for another two, so that meant Lia would certainly follow him back to his place and make sure he did as she said before giving him the mail!

He held her hand lightly in his as they walked back to his little barracks-style apartment. Even in August it was cool up here in the mountains. He loved life here. It was surprisingly uncomplicated. He had his work and Lia. Their friends primarily consisted of the teachers and other doctors in town. Ethan missed home, but he wasn't homesick. Not yet. He got letters from his family fairly regularly, and he wrote back as often. There was a lot he was looking forward to hearing back about.

But first he had to satisfy Lia that he was taking care of himself. He waved at the building supervisor through the window into his office as they walked through the small lobby of the three story apartment building. The man – Hinuto Amata – watched them go then went back to his paperwork. It had taken Ethan months to establish enough of a good reputation that Amata didn't peek into his apartment ever ten minutes when Lia had first come to visit. Doors were left open when guests of the opposite gender were present; something Ethan had needed a while to get used to. That was conservative by any standards! Still, it was the best living arrangement, not dissimilar to college dorms at ECU.

They went upstairs and Ethan waited indulgently as Lia prepared him a meal in the tiny kitchenette, and watched him eat every bite.

"Satisfied?" Ethan asked after clearing his plate of second helpings of everything. It hadn't been hard. He was hungry!

"Good enough," Lia giggled, passing over the parcel of letters.

Ethan ripped into the thickest envelope first; it was from Sara and contained the news Ethan had been expecting. "Look at this," he grinned, holding up the first photo that came out with a small stack and a three page letter. "Another nephew." The picture was of a baby who didn't look more than a day old in it. Given the postage date on the letter, it must have been mailed when Sara and Franz's new son was only a day or two old! He read the letter eagerly. "His name is James."

"He's adorable," Lia smiled, taking the picture to get a better look. It wasn't the only one. There was another of Trisha and her new baby brother, and then one of the whole family. Sara looked exhausted, but happy. Franz looked just as tired and as though he might burst with pride.

Ethan read through the news. "Yep. He's a day old in the pictures. Sara says he was a lot easier on her than Trisha was. No complications at all." After how many minor complications they had dealt with during Sara's first delivery, it was a relief to know his sister was fine. The long letter mostly detailed a bit of the birth itself, and how everyone was adjusting to having James around. Trisha loved him as was, apparently, already a big help around the house. The dog and cat were less than thrilled with the crying.

The next letter, almost as thick, was Aldon's usual catalog of everything going on in Resembool which, with four boys, was always a good length letter even if he just covered the highlights! It was hard to believe Coran was ten years old now. Ethan remembered watching his first nephew born like it was yesterday. Coran was, by all accounts, both mechanically inclined but also fascinated with alchemy. Aldon was almost expecting his son to ask to study under his grandfather sometime in the near future.

Reichart, almost eight, was more artistically inclined, like Cassie, and also interested in her work at the local hospital as a nurse. Urey, about four and a half, was getting fairly good at reading and would spend hours poring over books in his room. Little Ian had just turned three last month.

Included with the letter was a snapshot of Ian at his party, as well as a recent portrait of the entire family. Aldon and Cassie surrounded by their four boys. "They look happy," he grinned before passing the pictures over to Lia, who was always as eager to hear about his family as he was.

"Cassie looks great," Lia commented. "You'd hardly know she'd had four kids."

Ethan chuckled. "Aldon says that's because when Cassie decides to eat healthy _everyone_ gets to join in as a group effort." Not that it was a problem for the boys; they were growing bundles of energy.

"As it should be," Lia teased. "What does your Dad have to say?"

The letter from Ethan's father was shorter, with no pictures, but Ethan was always happy to get anything from his father at all. His mother had lamented over the years about how Edward was a lousy correspondent. Getting letters from him meant a lot to Ethan, who had always been a prolific letter writer. "More of the usual," he replied as he read. "Apparently Tore's being a pain in the ass even more than usual lately. Mom's making noises about how nice to find a full-time partner in the company so she could have more real time off and she and Dad could do more things together."

"That would be nice for them," Lia smiled as she cleaned up the dishes to put them away. "Their lives are always so busy."

"To put it mildly," Ethan nodded.

The last letter was from his cousin Will. "Well now this one's got plenty of news," Ethan grinned when he finished scanning the pages. "Will and Ren finally closed a deal on a house. It's a townhouse over in the Riverside district." It was a nice part of town, and only a couple of miles from Al and Elicia's, though on the opposite side from his Dad's place. "They're moving in next month."

"That's fantastic," Lia beamed, drying the plates.

Ethan could understand why Will and Ren and their folks would all be ready for a little more privacy! Especially now that Minxia was nine months old and crawling. "Yep. They're going to get moved in and Ren's found a great location for opening the practice." That was even better news. Okay, so it was good news for Ethan too, given his and Ren's plans that he would join the practice and they would work together once he finished his contract and training in Xing and they went back to Amestris. "The building's only a block from the hospital."

"Even better news," Lia agreed as she kissed him on the cheek as she sat down next to him again. "Anything on Alyse or your aunt and uncle?"

Ethan nodded."Alyse is still seeing Vince Miller. Apparently she brought him to the family picnic last month, and he's been to a couple of other family get-togethers. Will says the whole family's sure she's serious about him at this point."

"Given Alyse's history, I'd say so," Lia smirked.

Ethan never had gotten more than cursory details on what had happened to Alyse last year, but apparently it hadn't been enough to dampen his cousin's spirit or her personality. "The last letter I got from Alyse definitely backs that up. I think at least half of it was about things she had done recently that all included Vince in them." He went back down to the part about his aunt and uncle. "Uncle Al and Aunt Elicia are doing a lot better. He says Elicia hardly has nightmares at all anymore and the other day he caught them _sneaking upstairs in the middle of the afternoon._" That was all the letter said, but Ethan could almost read the amusement and innuendo in his cousin's handwriting.

Lia's cheeks tinged with pink. "Good for them," was all she said.

Ethan agreed silently and went on. "Aunt Gracia still watches Trisha a lot of the time, though less right now since Sara's still home with James. She's definitely going to take Minxia sometimes once Ren starts work, though given how much interest there already is apparently in having her for a physician and as a specialist assisting a lot of the other doctors in town, they should make enough for Will to stay home for now and work on his research and take care of the baby."

"I think I like that idea," Lia giggled. "The man stays home and watches the baby; the wife goes out and gets to make money and have a life."

"More like long grueling hours of dealing with uncooperative patients you hope appreciate you later," Ethan quipped. He didn't make the comment that had popped into his head. _As long as you don't expect me to be the stay at home type._

He got a familiar, though slightly unsettling, feeling in his stomach as Lia just smiled at him. "There are worse things in life."

"There are." Though he couldn't help but wonder if that statement applied to his response or his private thoughts. Lia had gotten very adept at telling what he was thinking. "Dealing with nosy students?" He teased her back.

"I'd say those are about the same," Lia shook her head. "So is that everything?"

"Well there's at least a page in here about how cute and brilliant Minxia is," Ethan grinned. "And more pictures." There were always pictures of Minxia in Will's letters. Ethan didn't mind though. Even this far from the Imperial City, the name Elric was associated with the man who had married the Emperor's sister. It hadn't been long before everyone knew that Ethan was Will's cousin, and they loved seeing pictures of Minxia. Of course, most of the townsfolk liked seeing pictures of any children! Ethan found it amusing that he had a wallet full of kids and none of them were his. Though it was a little uncomfortable when the housewives on the street started asking when he and Lia would get married and produce a few kids of their own.

"There are always pictures," Lia smiled, then after a moment she sighed. "I should go. You need a shower and some sleep."

Ethan didn't want her to go. "Do I smell that bad?" he asked teasingly.

"Yes!" Lia chuckled before her expression softened. "You've been so busy lately. When do you get another vacation?"

Vacation she called it. Lately Ethan was lucky to get a day off every two weeks. His last multiple day break – which had lasted all of three days – had been four months ago. "Hopefully next month," he replied with an apologetic smile.

Lia shook her head. "I don't know why you put yourself through this much sometimes." But that was all she said on the matter as she stood to go.

Ethan reached out and squeezed her hand. "Because someone has to for everyone else," he replied simply.

They kissed warmly before Lia left, which was all too soon, but she was right. Ethan needed the break. The good news was that he wasn't expected back on duty tomorrow; it was his day off after two weeks of non-stop medical visits. Ethan got used a lot on the out of town runs. He was younger than some of the guys, in better shape than nearly as many, and he never complained. He was also one of the few alchemical doctors in the area.

Standing, stretching, and carefully putting letters and pictures together on the table, Ethan closed his door and started stripping for a shower. He had to admit Lia was right. Being clean and snuggling up on his bed and sleeping for twelve hours sounded like a very good idea.

Thank goodness he had her around to remind him to do that kind of thing!

**September 5****th****, 1960 **

Two minutes past midnight. Edward glanced up at the living room clock then went back to his book. He wasn't sure when he had learned to be this patient. Maybe it was the anticipation of the coming discussion. Not that he was looking forward to a row, but he expected one was coming unless his student had a very good excuse for being eight hours late getting home from school this afternoon. Not that it took a genius to figure out where the kid probably was.

He didn't have much longer to wait. There was a jingle of a key in the front door lock, and it opened. Edward wasn't within view of the door. He was sitting in the dark, book readable only by the bright moonlight coming through the windows. After a moment, he heard the bottom stair squeak. "I wouldn't go upstairs just yet if I were you."

The squeak stopped and he thought he heard a sigh. Then footsteps came down the hall and Tore walked into the room, reaching for the switch and turning on the lights. In the sudden glare, Edward's suspicions were solidly confirmed as to where Tore had been for the past several hours. Or at least, who with. Tousled hair and a pinkish smudge on his face near the lips rather gave it away. "You've been sitting up in the dark just waiting to do that haven't you?"

Ed scowled as he put down his book. He kept his tone steely hard, but calm and quiet. Righteous anger wasn't likely to work here. "I've been waiting for an explanation as to why the hell you never came home this afternoon or even had the courtesy to call and tell me why you decided to skip out on dinner and tonight's alchemy session."

Tore eyed him a moment, then shrugged. "Sorry. I couldn't find a phone."

"Bullshit," Ed snorted, standing up. In truth he was furious. "You know the rules."

"Oh yeah I know the rules," Tore had the audacity to roll his eyes. "You only remind me about them at least three times a week. I don't think forgetting to make one phone call deserves the drill-sergeant routine do you?"

_Stubborn little…._ "You never told us you had a date."

"Didn't know until lunch," Tore countered. The grin on his face made Ed want to punch him. Had _he_ ever been this much of a smug little brat? Yeah…probably.

"So you blew everything else off for a girl. What happened to wanting to learn alchemy?"

"You are so mono-focused, you know that?" Tore countered, frowning. "You think everyone should be like you and do things your way! Well just because you couldn't handle alchemy and girls at the same time doesn't mean everyone's that hopeless."

"What?!" Ed stared at him, moving forward until they were much closer, nearly face to face. It didn't help that they were also now just about eye-to-eye in height. "You shouldn't go talking about things you know nothing about, kid. It's a great way to get yourself in a lot of trouble."

"So what are you going to do?" Tore asked, eyes glinting in the way that Ed knew meant the kid wasn't intimidated, just pissed. He didn't like it when people got openly authoritative.

It would have been nice if Tore had even half the respect –or at least fear- of Ed that Ed and Al had for Izumi when they were her students. Perhaps it was time to start taking a page out of her book. "What I should have done last year," Edward growled. "Consider yourself on restriction. After school from now until I say differently you will come straight home as soon as classes are done. If you don't, Winry or I will start showing up at school again to bring you home. You will do all of your homework immediately upon getting home, then chores, then your lessons."

"And if there's free time?" Tore smirked.

"Then you'll have plenty of time for combat drills," Edward replied.

"What about my friends?" Tore asked, taken aback. While Ed and Winry had always been firm on the rules, they had never been particularly harsh with the kid.

It was time for that to change. Ed smirked back. "You want to hang out, you can do it here at the house."

Tore's cool was slipping quickly. He obviously hadn't expected Ed to start laying down real ultimatums. "For how long?"

"I already told you," Ed pointed out. "_Until I say differently. _You want the right to come and go as you please then you'd better damned well earn it. Oh, and when I say friends, that doesn't include girls."

Tore was glowering now. Then he seemed to think of something else. "What about Charisa?"

At that, Ed chuckled. "Well I suppose she doesn't really count in this case, and you'll need the study help. I saw the grade on your last literature essay." Charisa counted in the friend category, and he trusted her common sense and good judgment. It seemed to be the only thing that kept Tore in check some days. Lately the kid seemed to think he knew everything. "At least she's better than the girls you're wasting your time with lately."

Putting the kid in his place felt good. Despite a momentary guilty twinge, Ed understood exactly why Roy had enjoyed doing the same thing to him when he was a teenager.

Tore's fists were trembling. Good. Ed had finally gotten through to him. "Do you enjoy lording your superiority over people?" Tore shouted.

"Do you enjoy acting like an idiot?" Ed asked, no smirk on his face now, though watching the kid lose it while he stayed calm only added credence to his earlier thought. "I'm your teacher and your guardian. If you want to quit learning alchemy, say so. If you want the State to place you somewhere else because you're unhappy here, why don't you go ask them?"

Tore's eyes went wider, but a little of the red faded from his face. "Is that what you want?" he asked softly.

"Of course not," Ed snorted. "But somehow I don't feel asking for a little common sense and remembering to follow some pretty basic rules is unreasonable given the situation." He shook his head. "Get up to bed. We'll be up early for drills."

Tore looked like he wanted to really go off on Ed, but thought better of it. He nodded gruffly, then turned and headed back upstairs, taking advantage of the dismissal.

Ed watched him go, then picked up his book and followed more slowly. By the time he got upstairs Tore's door was closed, the teenager nowhere in sight. Frustrated, but hoping that this time he might get through to the kid on this, Ed stripped and curled up in his own bed beside Winry, who was sleeping deeply. He couldn't help wrapping his arms around her, enjoying the feel of the soft silk of her hair and skin against his. She barely stirred.

Ed did not regret, for even a moment, taking Tore in and taking care of the kid. He did wonder though, as he drifted off to sleep, if having Tore around was the exchange for Ed having been blessed with three easier to deal with children of his own.

**September 10****th****, 1960**

::Everyone put down your pencils please,:: Lia spoke to the class full of high school students of varying grades who were working on their Amestrian history tests. These were more advanced students – all high school aged – who were decent enough at reading and writing in the language to take the class, and were also expected to write the test in Amestrian. Lia was grateful for that, since it made grading much faster.

The class complied, putting down pencils and looking up from their papers with a mix of expressions ranging from relief to anxiety. Lia moved through the room, picking up the tests. ::I want you to read chapter three in your textbooks tonight and be prepared to discussion the questions at the end of the chapter tomorrow.::

There was shuffling and a couple of soft groans, quickly stifled when she glanced in their direction. As soon as she had all the tests, the bell rang and the students shuffled out of the room. Lia was grateful it was her last class of the day. She had quite a pile of grading to do before the end of the week. Every one of her classes had turned in first essays, tests, or homework this week.

::Miss Swanson,:: a voice spoke behind her as she walked down the hall toward her office. Lia turned to see Kimo Akisa, one of the math teachers, coming down the hallway, smiling brightly. Kimo was a nice guy, a couple of years older than her. He was from the easternmost reaches of Xing, and always had a friendly expression and a joke. Friendly as he was with her and Ethan – one of their first friends after arriving – he was always consummately formal at work. That was how things were done here.

Lia paused and smiled. ::Mr. Akisa. Finished today as well?::

::Just so,:: Kimo nodded. ::I have a rather ugly pile of math tests that I'm pretty sure are going to be abysmal. The first tests of the term usually are.::

::I don't always find them quite that bad,:: Lia replied. ::So you'll be grading all evening I take it?::

::Most likely,:: Kimo sighed, then chuckled. ::I was wondering if you'd like to bring your tests and join me? I like to take up a table at the tea shop and work there. Fewer distractions than my apartment complex, and pleasant atmosphere.::

::And a never-ending supply of tea and coffee?:: Lia chuckled.

::That too,:: Kimo nodded, shamelessly grinning. ::So do you want to come?::

Lia thought about it for a moment. She was only planning to grade tonight. Ethan was out of town on another several-day visit to another remote mountain village and wouldn't be home for a few days. ::Sure. That sounds better than sitting alone in my room with these things,:: she agreed. A sandwich and a cup of tea and a little company would be pleasant while getting work done. ::Meet you there in an hour?::

::See you then,:: Kimo agreed before heading off.

Lia headed to her office, picked up what she would need for the evening, dropped off anything she wouldn't, then headed back to her apartment to change out of her good work clothes. Dressed in something more casually comfortable, she headed down to the tea shop.

There were plenty of tea shops in town, but the one everyone referred to as the Tea Shop, was nearly equidistant between the school, the hospital, and most of the affordable housing for single professional adults in the area. As a hang-out of that nature, there were almost never students in it, and so it was easy to work and have quiet conversations in peace.

Kimo had already claimed a large table that would easily accommodate both teachers, and had a steaming cup of ginseng beside him – something he drank a lot of. ::I'm glad you came!:: he grinned. There was space just across the long narrow table from him.

::Well I said I would,:: Lia pointed out with a chuckle as she sat down and pulled out her work. The waitress came over and Lia ordered jasmine green tea with milk and honey before setting down to work. Her tea came quickly, and they sat in mostly companionable silence as they worked. The quiet broken occasionally by an amusing tale of something a student said or light faculty-lounge gossip.

The place was not particularly crowded. It filled as dinner drew closer, and Lia ordered fish and vegetables for dinner. Kimo ordered teriyaki chicken and rice. They both had more tea and talked, taking a break from the grading for more detailed conversation.

Lia wasn't expecting it. Two seconds later, instead of conversing, Kimo had leaned in and kissed her! Stunned, it took her several moments to react. ::What are you doing?!:: She asked, pulling back sharply.

Kimo looked surprised when she moved, then disappointed. ::I thought that was obvious.::

::You know I'm not available, Kimo,:: Lia replied pointedly. She had come with Ethan and they had made that fact no secret. Kimo had been a friend to them both since they arrived over a year ago. What was going on? ::Why would you do that?::

::Because you deserve someone who's actually around,:: Kimo replied. ::You're a fantastic girl, Lia. I don't see how Elric can spend so much time away. Even when he's here he's at the hospital working odd hours and long shifts. You shouldn't have to be alone so much.::

Perhaps he meant to be sympathetic, and maybe she should be flattered that Kimo found her attractive, but in that moment all Lia felt was anger. ::How dare you!:: She kept her voice down, though there was almost no one in the place at the moment. ::You cannot presume to speak as to what I do or do not deserve; or what I consider enough time. What Ethan is doing is important and I support him as much as he supports me in what I want to do!::

::You're not engaged,:: Kimo replied, looking apologetic but unruffled, and not ashamed either. ::He's made no permanent claim.::

::Our personal life is not your concern, Kimo,:: Lia retorted. She had never felt such anger! ::I love Ethan and I'm not interested in anyone else.::

::It doesn't look like he feels the same from this side,:: Kimo admitted. ::Guys commit or they don't, Lia. I'm not the only one around here who thinks Ethan's not capable of it.::

::That's ridiculous,:: Lia countered. There were people who didn't think Ethan would make that commitment? It had never occurred to her that anyone might think that way. This was Ethan! Of course, they didn't know him as well as she did. The older folks all wondered when they were getting married and starting a family. The younger – those their own age – hadn't said much on the subject actually. But… she wondered then at the asking and the silence. ::Ethan will ask when he's ready.:: She knew Ethan was worried about messing things up. She didn't blame him for that. Not with his family history. She was patient. She could wait.

::Is it?:: Kimo asked sadly, as if he thought she might be deluding herself. ::Some guys, even nice guys, just can't do it, for whatever reason they have, they can't get past the roadblock.::

::Well Ethan isn't one of those people,:: Lia stood up, gathering her papers quickly. ::Good night, Kimo.:: She hurried out of the tea shop as fast as she could move as tears stung in her eyes. Now she desperately missed Ethan, and wanted to talk to him, to be reassured. But he wasn't here, and he wouldn't be back until at least Saturday.

By the time Lia got back to her apartment she could barely see the lamp posts or the building itself for the tears that blurred her vision.


	2. Chapter 2

**September 12****th****, 1960**

"Are you ever going to tell me where we're going?" Tore griped as he sat in the back of Edward's car. Ed and Alphonse sat in the front seat as Ed drove them down a winding country road. It was already full dark.

"You'll see when we get there," Ed replied. It was the same vague answer he had been giving ever since he had picked up Tore after school with Al in tow. It was something he had been thinking needed to be done with Tore for a long time and, while they did not have the time to do it properly, he thought he had an idea that would make the point.

They had been driving out into the countryside outside Central for a few hours, winding around back roads until Ed was sure Tore would have no idea which way they had come or which way they were going, though _he_ knew perfectly well where they were. They were actually almost to the spot that Ed had in mind.

"By the time we get there it'll be too dark to see anything," Tore snorted, leaning against the car window in the back seat and staring out at the dark fields and trees beyond.

"That's the idea." Ed replied as he pulled off down one more windy road into the forest they had been skirting for the past twenty minutes. "I thought you could use a little freedom."

In the rear-view mirror Tore's expression turned confused and wary. "What, you're letting me go into the wild?" he asked sardonically.

"Something like that," Al snickered.

"It's a challenge," Ed continued as he pulled up at the place he had been looking for. "Consider it part of your training as an alchemist. I only wish I had a month instead of a weekend."

"A month? What am I doing?" Tore asked.

Ed turned off the car and opened the door. Al didn't get out, but Tore followed suit. "You're going to find your way to a town near here."

"That's it?" Tore didn't look impressed.

Ed smirked. "If you do it efficiently, it shouldn't take you more than five or six hours walking straight. It's roughly fifteen miles from here."

"So what's to keep me from just walking there?" Tore asked, eyeing the forest around them.

"The fact that you don't know where it is maybe?" Ed replied smugly. "There's no straight road to follow between here and there obviously, and no road signs. You're looking for the town of Rosewood. Go straight east and you'll find it."

Ed waited for Tore to ask the questions he ought to be. The kid had no wildlife training. His only experience with being out of the city was Resembool and Drachma. If he had taken anything away from their time in Drachma, he would hopefully use it now. Tore looked irritated, but as if he was finally thinking about the challenge ahead. "Which way is East?"

_Question one; check._ "You'll have to figure that out for yourself," Ed informed him. "This is a survival test. You're going to have to figure out how to get there and how to take care of yourself on the way."

"I get you," Tore nodded. "What supplies do I get?"

"What do you have on you?"

The proverbial light bulb went on behind Tore's eyes. "Wait a minute; I don't even get food or a knife? What about matches?"

"Nothing but what you've got on you right now," Ed reiterated. "There's food in these woods if you know how to find it. Water too. Chances are you won't be out here more than most of the night, but I'll give you until Sunday morning to show up in Rosewood or Al and I will come find you."

"What if you have to do that?" Tore did not look pleased.

Ed shrugged. "Then you fail the test."

"And if I don't fail?" Tore asked.

"Pass and I'll _consider_ lightening your sentence," Ed offered as incentive. "Prove to me you can use your brain."

"Oh I'll prove it," Tore rose to the bait. "When I get to town where do I find you?"

"Look for the Swan Inn," Ed told him. "It's right on the edge of town. You can't miss it." With that, he turned and got back in the car.

"What if a wild animal comes after me?" Tore asked, looking slightly disbelieving now as he hurried to the window.

"You can take him!" Ed laughed as he started the car. "You're an alchemist aren't you?"

"R-right," Tore nodded.

"See you." Ed backed up the car, pulled back onto the path, and headed back the way they had come.

"Do you think he's ready for this?" Al asked as they headed away from the kid, quickly losing sight of him in the darkness. "It could be pretty dangerous."

"The park is a protected wildlife preserve," Ed pointed out with a grin. "Edged by four different towns and there's nothing more dangerous living in there than porcupines, badgers, and, so I've heard, some bad tempered beavers. The biggest predators are foxes and a bobcat that goes into town and begs for food. Tore can only get so lost, and he's smarter than he's been acting lately."

"So in other words_ yes_," Al chuckled, leaning back and relaxing a little. "You think this will really help?"

"It helped us didn't it?" Ed pointed out. "All right, so it's not a month on Yock Island. But he needs something that takes him out of his comfort zone and makes him really think. He's too used to things he can handle. He's smart and there's not a lot that's challenging him right now. He's unfocused and he's a walking hormone sack. I don't want to see him end up getting in trouble because he's not thinking straight anymore." He'd been a clear thinking, focused young man until the last couple of years.

"Well hopefully this will do it," Al agreed. "So we're just holing up in Rosewood until he gets there?"

"At the Inn," Ed grinned over at him. "I figured we could use a little vacation. They have a great menu. Unless you're complaining?"

"Me? Of course not," Al laughed. "I haven't had a day off in ages."

There was something in Al's tone that sounded a little off though, and Ed thought he knew what it was. It was the first time Al had been away from home overnight in nearly two years. "Well you need one," Ed replied. "So relax and enjoy it."

Al looked half-amused. "Is that an order?"

Ed nodded. "You bet it is.

* * *

Tore watched the car vanish into the darkness with a feeling that was part shock, part annoyance, and part fear. He was standing alone in the forest, with no idea where he was and nothing in the way of materials, supplies, or even a real set of directions. _Not even a compass._ How the hell was he supposed to manage this?

"He knows I've never had any wilderness training," Tore griped aloud, but it sounded very loud in the forest around him. The only sounds were the rustle of leaves in a breeze, crickets, cicadas, and an owl hooting in the distance. At least, Tore thought it was an owl. He looked around, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

As they did, he realized that the trees were not as dense as they seemed. Through them he could see stars and a bright moon actually made seeing possible. He knew that stars could be used as a navigational tool. Maybe he could figure out direction that way?

Tore walked towards the nearest clearing, which was only about twenty yards away further into the forest. From there, he could see quite a few stars. It was then that he was struck with another problem. He was only familiar with maybe three constellations. Which star was the North Star?

Tore stared at the sky for nearly ten minutes, deliberating which way to go. He was pretty sure the constellation that looked kind of like a pot with a handle lay a North-ish direction. He couldn't figure out if that was the right one or not. But he was pretty sure. Wasn't there another constellation that looked just like it? He couldn't tell for sure in the trees. Still, the hunch was better than nothing.

Swallowing his fear, Tore turned to his right – that should be east… right? – And started walking. Still he doubted. Fullmetal had driven off going North if he was even remotely correct in his guess. However, the roads had wound all over the place, so that might not mean anything.

Night in the woods was darker than anything Tore had ever experienced. At least in Resembool the open rolling mountain foothills had been easily bathed in moonlight. Here, with all the trees, it came through in splotches, hiding so much in shadow. Who knew what was lurking where he couldn't see it?

Tore thought he knew what Fullmetal was trying to do. He'd heard the story of Yock Island. But Tore had already had Equivalent Exchange and All is One, One is All, explained. They had discussed it in some depth. Perhaps he was supposed to be figuring out something else.

_Right now I should be figuring out how to get out of this forest as fast as possible. _Tore tried to walk a little faster, but his steps sounded loud to him. What if he attracted a predator? Would it be safer to go on by daylight and hole up for the night? Would Fullmetal have left him out here if he was in any real danger? Frankly, Tore thought bitterly, he probably would. Tore had alchemy. If…if he could find something to draw with! _Damn it!_ Only the things on him at the moment did not include any kind of writing implement. He fished frantically in his pockets, hoping he was wrong. He wasn't.

It was going to be a very long night.

* * *

The food at the inn was just as good as Edward had heard. Together he and Al feasted their way through the best courses the place had; which included fine steaks, freshly grilled summer vegetables, and a fantastic roasted pheasant that Ed was sorry to see the last of it gone, despite being definitively full by the end of the meal.

"What a feast," Ed grinned across the table. "I've got to see about getting Winry to make stuff like this. I could really get used to it."

"I thought you said Winry was already the best cook in the world," Al smirked. "Which, of course, is in question given the extensive skills of Gracia and Elicia, but I hope you're not claiming this is better."

"Not better," Ed leaned back, giving himself a little more room to digest. The large slice of chocolate raspberry torte had _almost _done him in. "Just a nice change of pace, good flavors. I'm sure she and Elicia could make it even more amazing. Or do you disagree?" He gave a wry grin in reply. Al had eaten as much of it as he had so he had obviously enjoyed it.

Al was leaning back as well. "Not in the least."

"Would you gentlemen like anything else?" The waitress asked as she returned to their table. "After dinner coffee or a beer perhaps?"

Ed thought about it for a moment, trying to decide if he still had room. "Sure. Coffee sounds great." He wasn't planning to go to bed anytime soon. There was, of course, the possibility that Tore would actually show up tonight, though Ed highly doubted it. "Al?" His brother was looking at the drink list. Al seemed to be feeling indecisive. When he shot Ed an uneasy glance Ed had the feeling he knew why. "Oh get whatever you want," Ed spoke up, mildly irritated. It had been seven years. People could stop pussy-footing around him on the subject.

Al looked slightly embarrassed behind the menu, then looked up. "The spiced mead please," Al handed the menu back and the waitress turned and headed back to the kitchens. His gaze drifted back to the window, and Ed knew his attention was elsewhere.

Now seemed as good a time as any to ask. "Al, are you okay?"

His brother startled and glanced over at him, apparently confused. "Well yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

This was going to be harder than Ed had thought. Not that it was Al's fault. "It's just that you've seemed… down lately. I just figured now that Elicia was doing better you'd be more cheerful." Indeed, Elicia seemed almost back to her old self most of the time. Al, however, did not. It wasn't something obvious, but Ed couldn't ignore it either. "Feeling guilty about leaving her at home?"

"Not really," Al shrugged, though Ed wasn't entirely sure he meant it. "She's not alone and she practically ordered me to come." He smiled a little. That was the Elicia they both knew.

"So then, what's the problem?" Ed had fully understood his brother's worries and stress when Elicia was first rescued, and after when she was dealing with the trauma of the whole ordeal. But things had improved steadily for quite some time.

"It's not Elicia," Al finally looked him straight in the face. "It's me."

He looked at thought he figured Ed should understand. But there was something not said that didn't make sense. "So…what's wrong?"

Embarrassed, Al looked away again. He began to speak softly and quietly, though there was a lot of emotion in his voice. "I just can't get past it. I still feel guilty that I wasn't there to protect her; that we didn't catch up to her in time. I still have nightmares and I… I still wish I'd gone with you." His hand tightened around his empty water glass. "Destroying their lab wasn't enough. We don't know how many of them survived."

"Either way, they're far from here," Ed pointed out. "No one's going to touch Elicia again… except you of course."

Al didn't smile. "In my dreams, I've got Tamirov cornered. I've killed him so many times now, so many different ways; making him pay for what he did to her."

Alphonse dreaming about murder? No wonder he hadn't said anything to anyone. "It's okay to dream of justice," Ed replied after a moment. Al seemed to be done speaking. "To feel anger and want revenge." He was no stranger to that overwhelming urge. "I don't blame you for that, or for not wanting to tell anyone."

"I'm just sick of feeling resentment and anger and…" Al let go of the glass suddenly, as if he was expecting it to break in his hand if he squeezed tighter. "I know I should just be grateful that things are finally getting back to normal and let it go but for once I…I can't."

Ed felt a lump in his throat. Aside from the pain of seeing his brother still hurting, he couldn't help but wonder if part of that, any of it, was still aimed at him. Al had been furious with him over that, and while they had made amends about it a while ago, was that still an issue? "Do I want to know how much of that's still my fault?" He asked the question softly. Ed wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

Al, to his relief, looked startled, then apologetic. "Not much of it," he replied. "Agree or not I know why you did what you did. We're okay. Mostly it's the Drachmans I can't stand anymore."

"Tamirov got what was coming to him," Ed replied, "As much as we could manage anyway." He wished he knew if the bastard was dead.

"Not just Tamirov." The look in Al's eyes was one Ed hadn't seen before. "I can't forgive the rest of them for sitting by and doing nothing!" There was the anger, the resentment. His voice, while still quiet, had grown hard and anguished. "We practically handed them Tamirov and his men; kidnappers, rapists, doing horrible experiments on innocent people…and they didn't do a damned thing."

Ed's stomach twisted uncomfortably. He'd never seen his little brother like this. Okay, not in a very long time. He'd always been so understanding; the first of either of them to understand motives and forgive. He didn't respond immediately however, as the waitress returned with their drinks. Ed thanked her and sipped his coffee, waiting to see if Al had anything else he needed to get off his chest.

Al didn't speak again until he'd finished his mead. "It's like corruption is inherent in any ruling body," he finally said. "The lies, the politics; Expediency and risk management taking precedence over whether something is right or wrong. It's disgusting, and Drachma's worse than Aerugo was."

Ed wasn't sure even he would go quite that far. "Well at least we're not likely to have anything to do with them again," he pointed out. "There's no sign they've made any progress after what we told them. Forget them. We took matters into our own hands and did what had to be done without any international consequences." He refrained from saying that moving on seemed the best thing to do now. Al already knew that.

"Who's we?" Al snorted. "You and Roy and Winry and Tore did plenty._ I_ did nothing."

"_You _took care of Elicia, just like you should've."

"I sat there and watched helplessly."

This discussion wasn't going to get anywhere productive. Ed could see that now. "Well that may be how you see it, but I doubt that's how Elicia sees it," he replied. "You know how much just being there can mean to someone, Al." Where would they be without each other?

Al smiled again a little stronger, as if he understood what went unsaid. "Yeah, I do. Thanks, Ed."

"Hey, that's what brothers are for," Ed grinned back, saluting him with his coffee cup before taking another sip.

Al eyed him suspiciously. "Is this why you invited me along this weekend?"

"Partially," Ed admitted. There was no reason to hide it after all. "That and I really didn't feel like hanging out here alone until Tore figures out how to get here."

"You could have brought Winry," Al smirked. "This place is nice."

"Winry gets a relaxing alchemist-free couple of days, and you and I get to pretend we're free enough to go where we want for a bit."

"Nice delusion," Al replied, finally beginning to relax. He waved the waitress over for another drink. "Does that one get to include we still look twenty-five and beautiful women we don't know will notice our existence?"

"Sure," Ed agreed. "Why not? Just don't let my wife know if any imaginary women hit on me okay?"

"No worries, Ed," Al smiled. "Why would they be doing that if I'm imagining they're all paying attention to me?"

Ed tried not to snort his coffee. "And just what, pray tell, are all these imaginary women doing that I shouldn't tell Elicia?"

Al shrugged. "Honestly? I think I'd have more fun imagining Winry and Elicia going after anyone who tried."

Now _that_ was a fun mental image!

* * *

His nerves were shot. Tore had no idea how long he had been wandering through the woods. Every time he caught sight of the sky he tried to find the constellation he recognized to make sure he was heading in the same direction. He corrected his course four times, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he startled an opossum that hissed at him and waddled away. He _did_ trip over dozens of tree roots, including sending himself tumbling briefly into a small trickling creek. He ran into at least two thorn bushes before he figured out how to recognize them in the speckled light.

The night got darker and Tore began to feel hungry. He hadn't had dinner. He hadn't had anything to drink in hours either and his throat was parched. He took several handfuls from the stream before he clambered out of it, but it wasn't enough to slake his thirst.

Tore hated to admit it, but he was scared. Not _cry like a baby_ scared, but _seriously disliking the unknown_ scared. A forest without city lights was the darkest place he'd ever been, and animals were not something he was familiar with. He had no idea how to find food in the dark either. He'd been lucky to stumble across the stream. He didn't dare think that Edward had put him where he was to be sure he'd find water. That was probably over thinking things.

Tore had never felt quite so alone. It wasn't his first time in the wilderness per se. There had been fleeing in the snow of Drachma and their night in the cave. But that hadn't seemed anything like this. Snow reflected light, and he'd had Fullmetal, True Soul, and the Flame alchemist all there to do alchemy and find food and water for him. They all knew how to survive pretty well, especially together.

Tore knew absolutely nothing in comparison. _So perhaps the lesson is survival. _Though that would be a lot of lessons all in one wouldn't it? It didn't seem fair. He had nothing with which to draw a transmutation circle, and he had no idea what he would transmute even if he did except in the case of being attacked by bears or wolves or something.

Not that he wanted to know what most of the animal rustles he heard were actually made by. Tore just hoped that they would stay away from the stranger crashing through their underbrush.

Finally he reached a clearer part of the forest, with some rocky hills and more sky. Tore looked up, and cursed out loud. Clouds were moving in and the sky was splotchy. He couldn't tell where the heck he was going or even if he was still walking in the same direction.

His stomach growled and ached. His tongue was dry. Tore reached up and wiped a drop of water from his face. A raindrop he told himself. _Yeah, just a stray drop._

Almost as if in answer to his thoughts, the thickening clouds above his head opened up and rain began to fall in slow, steady sheets.

"If I didn't know better I'd say Fullmetal planned this," Tore grumbled as he ran for the rocks. Maybe he could find an overhang or someplace to sleep that wasn't occupied by an animal.

The thought made him almost stop cold. Shaking himself, Tore kept moving back under the trees. Water was no longer an issue, not soaked as he was getting already. Shelter; he needed shelter. _Or maybe the lesson is priorities._ That would fit with a lot of their arguments lately.

There, through the darkness, he thought he saw what looked like a cave – or at least a darker shadow. It turned out to be a fallen tree against the rocks. Well anyway, it was shelter and it clearly had nothing living in it!

Tore scooted under the trunk and huddled, his back up against the rocks. He looked out at the rain, which grew heavier with each passing minute. _Plenty to drink tomorrow,_ he thought. _Maybe if I'm lucky something edible will drown._ Not that he had any idea how to skin or prep meat and, frankly, the idea of having to do that himself made his stomach turn. If not he was sure there had to be edible plants. If only he knew how to tell which was which.

Well at least he had plenty of time to himself. Tore wished he had his black-and-white cat, Rapscallion, to snuggle up with him, and maybe catch them both dinner. Rap liked to stalk things. But he was sure the little tom was more than likely curled up on Tore's bed, purring contentedly.

It had been a long time since Tore felt so alone. With a sigh, he curled up, his knees tucked tight against his chest with his arms, and closed his eyes. It wasn't like he'd see anything coming anyway. He could just hope that animals disliked the rain as much as he did. Perhaps

It was really a blessing

And maybe if he told himself that enough times, Tore might begin to believe it.


	3. Chapter 3

**September 13th, 1960**

"What a beautiful morning!" Edward grinned as he stepped out onto the porch of the little inn and stretched.

"When did you get so cheerful?" Alphonse asked with a sardonic chuckle as he joined him.

"A good night's sleep, a tasty breakfast, and a day of nothing particular planned ahead of me," Ed turned to Al as if he were nuts. "It's been so long since I had a day like this. I'm going to enjoy it."

Al nodded. "Sounds good to me." They had both slept in – a rare treat – and enjoyed the hearty country breakfast served this morning. "The lady who runs the dining room said there's a country market here on the weekends in good weather."

"Well it doesn't get nicer than this," Ed agreed. The sun was up, the grass was still dewy from last night's peaceful rainstorm, and the air was warm but the breeze was cool. The leaves were just starting to hint at changing colors. "Let's have a look around."

The market was in the little town square, a large area paved with old-fashioned paving stones and with a small fountain tinkling away merrily in the middle, though it could not be heard over the pleasantly excited murmur of sellers and shoppers.

There were a couple dozen outdoor stalls set up in the market selling everything from produce to home-made house goods and artwork. There was one stall selling home-made earthenware jugs, mugs, and vases, all glazed in beautiful colorful patterns. Another boasted little items made from silver and beads to decorate people or the home alike.

Ed paused by one stall that was selling elaborate hand-stitched quilts, his eyes drawn by one that had a complex pattern with a primarily black and red design on a white background. It stood out even amongst the colored quilts. "These are incredible."

The old woman who had clearly made them beamed at the praise.

"I didn't know you liked quilting," Alphonse peered over Ed's shoulder. "It is beautiful though. I bet Elicia and Gracia would love to see these."

"It's hard not to appreciate the things people can make with their hands," Ed admitted with a shrug and a smile. "I mean, look how close to perfection an artist can make a work, and without alchemy. It's all skill and talent."

When they walked away a couple of minutes later, Ed had the quilt in question carefully bundled and under his arm.

"I don't think it'll match your bedroom suite, Ed," Al teased as they paused beside one of the fresh produce stands, absolutely overflowing with the late-season berries and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.

"Who says I'm sharing with Winry?" Ed smirked. "This is for me."

"I guess you're never too old for a special blanket huh?" Al laughed.

Ed wasn't flustered in the slightest. "Never gonna happen."

* * *

_What a lousy morning._ Tore grimaced as he opened his eyes and rubbed the gunk out of them. He had tipped over during the night, and he felt clammy from lying on the damp leaves and grass underneath him. He had a crick in his neck, and his stomach felt like it was eating away at his spine. _I haven't been this hungry since I was eleven._ Emitting an audible groan, Tore crawled out from under the fallen log's arch and stretched. Popping came from all sorts of joints he hadn't realized could do so.

The sun was out, glaring down brightly as if it hadn't spent the entire night storming. Tore glared up at it and fervently wished for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. His wet clothing made him shiver as a cool breeze chased away the warmth for a moment. _Stupid outdoors. _How could anyone enjoy this? At least campers usually took tents and sleeping bags and cooking supplies.

Tore bent down beside an indented rock that held a couple of inches of water and slaked his thirst with several handfuls of the stuff. Then he looked up again. The sun could tell him where East was! Hazarding a guess, Tore thought he might have drifted some during the night. Either way, at least he would head in the right direction. These woods had to end eventually. Right?

Tore found he made much better progress by daylight and, after a couple of hours, he was dry again, heading the right direction, and he was sure he had covered several miles. Surely they wouldn't have dumped him out too far from civilization right?

The forest was, Tore had to admit, kind of pretty in daylight. The trees were just starting to turn colors and the rustling of the wind through them was peaceful. He spotted a deer as he paused by a brook for a drink himself, and birds twittered in the trees. He didn't see any obvious signs of predators, but Tore figured as long as the edible animals felt safe, he was not likely in any danger.

The forest turned into a clearing so suddenly that Tore almost stumbled over his own feet as he smacked into a large bush that suddenly had his full attention. It was a _blueberry_ bush almost as tall as he was! It seemed that a break was definitely in order.

An hour later, Tore didn't think he could manage to eat another berry. Handfuls had done their job, and he was surprisingly full. His first meal in almost a day, it also made him drowsy. Not that Tore wanted to stop. He wanted to get out of the forest soon. So looking up at the sky, figuring east again though the sun was higher, he kept walking.

Tore was beginning to enjoy himself, not that he really wanted to admit it. He was lucky to have found berries and water, that he hadn't spent the night under the full force of the drenching rain.

Everything was starting to look up until he stopped to relieve himself against a tree. In retrospect, Tore should have noticed the hole in the bottom of the old tree. If he had, he would not have angered the sleeping opossum inside it.

"Shit!" He leapt backwards, not yet finished, as the giant rat-looking creature shot out of the tree, snapping angrily. Tore scrambled back, trying to do up his fly, and tripped backwards, sprawling into the leaves and a sticker-bush behind him.

The opossum grabbed the first thing it's teeth could latch onto which, fortunately, was Tore's jeans. He yanked hard, getting to his feet as fast as he could, trying to shake the thing off!

"Ouch!" Teeth met skin. "Get off me…you stupid…. beast!" Tore spun his leg around and brought the opossum into a full hard connect with the tree.

The grouchy animal let go and fell, shaken to the ground. As it shook its head and started to stand again Tore took off like a shot! He ran for a couple of minutes before he sagged against a younger, very alive, tree, his lungs screaming for air from pelting full out instead of trying to rate himself. His leg hurt and when he looked down at the holes in his pants, he saw blood edging them.

Tore found a safe place to sit down – after checking three times – and examined the wound. It was a small bite really, painful as it had been for pointy teeth. Still, it would need cleaning. Tore had nothing for it though. All he could do was wait until he found more water and wash it, then give the area a good scrub and some disinfectant when he got back to civilization. Tore pushed his pant leg back down and kept walking.

_If my leg falls off, Fullmetal, I'm blaming you._

* * *

Ethan was awakened from dozing in the van that belonged to the hospital as it rattled to a stop in front of the building. Home at last! Another long haul, but at least he had two whole days off after this one – an unexpected surprise! It was one he intended to take advantage of. He was looking forward to spending that time with Lia. Wasn't she going to be surprised!

Or perhaps he was, he revised the statement as he spotted her sitting outside the hospital waiting for him. Ethan knew he hadn't been able to tell her what time he would be back, or even necessarily the day. She had fantastic timing! As soon as the van pulled to a stop he waved a goodbye to the other doctor on the call with him and grabbed his overnight bag and bounded out of the vehicle.

Lia met him halfway between the curb and where she had been sitting. Ethan was momentarily thrown off balance as she fell into his arms and hugged him tight. Grinning, he kissed her forehead. "I missed you too, beautiful," he chuckled, tilting her chin with one finger so he could kiss her better. He stopped when he saw her expression. Were those tears? "Lia…what…what's wrong?" A thousand ideas sprang to mind at once. Had something happened to family and she had received word while he was gone? Was someone ill; injured; dead?

She shook her head and smiled weakly then. "No it's…it's nothing. I just missed you."

But Ethan was not convinced. "You've never cried when we saw each other before," he pointed out softly.

Lia seemed to have realized that he wasn't going to be dissuaded. "Not here…please."

"Sure." Ethan would talk anywhere she wanted. "Where do you want to go? I'm famished; maybe the tea shop?" He knew she liked the place.

Lia jumped so suddenly she almost jumped out of his arm as they turned to walk down the street. "No… I'd rather not."

This was too bizarre. Ethan did not press the issue however. Instead he ducked into a little local restaurant just across from the hospital. He could get something here and be fine. As soon as they had seated and he had ordered, he gathered Lia's hands in his across the table. "Okay. What's going on? Is there bad news from home?"

Lia's eyes went briefly wide. "No! That's not it."

"Then what is?" Ethan asked, smiling gently. He wanted her to know he wasn't upset with her, just worried!

Lia avoided meeting his eyes for a moment before looking up. "Ethan I… you love me right?"

What? "Well of course I do," Ethan blurted immediately, surprised she even looked like she might question that! "Have I done something to hurt you?" Damn! If he had, he'd never forgive himself. He tried so hard. But maybe…_No no, don't panic. _He did that too often.

"No," Lia replied. "I just… oh this is silly," she twitched, clearly exasperated, and started babbling. "It's just that Kimo said all these terrible about how a lot of the people around here don't think you're capable of commitment! And that you're just not the type and I'm wasting my time waiting and…"

"Whoa whoa!" Ethan held up one hand. "Slow down! _Kimo_ said all this?" Something uncomfortable wriggled in his stomach. He had counted Kimo a friend since the first day they'd all met. They hung out together, played cards, talked…. "Why did it even come up?" He just couldn't imagine this scenario. What the hell?

Lia's face went red. "Kimo… he, well he kissed me."

Ethan finally understood what it meant to see red. Jealousy wasn't green. It was _definitely red._ It was several seconds before he realized he had stood bolt upright, knocking over his glass of water. _"What do you mean he kissed you?"_

"We were grading papers and he just… he did it," Lia's voice faltered. She was staring up at him with a little fear in her eyes. "He… apparently he's …interested…."

"I get that," Ethan replied through gritted teeth. He had a slim hold of his temper, but he really didn't want to keep it. Someone had touched Lia… kissed _his_ Lia. Wait! But…"Did you kiss him back?" The thought brought him up short. What if Lia was upset because she was interested in someone else?

"No," Lia almost shouted! "I got mad and stormed out. I just…the things he said Ethan. They were so… so unexpected. I mean, I've been wondering for two days how many people really think…I just…." She faltered.

Two days. For two days Lia had been suffering, trying to make heads or tails of a bunch of hogwash. Ethan was half way to the door before he heard Lia behind him and felt her hands firmly on his arm. "Ethan! Where are you going?"

"To talk to Kimo," Ethan replied, refraining from jerking out of her grip.

"Oh Ethan no… it's not that big a deal," Lia begged. "He knows I'm not interested. He just doesn't see things the way we do. A lot of folks here don't…you know that!"

Ethan paused, turned, and removed her hands from his arm with a firm but gentle hand. "Then he can tell me straight to my face why he thinks it's all right to make moves on you when I'm not around." He nearly ran out the door. "Keep my food warm. This won't take long!"  
He could not remember ever being so incensed before, but Ethan could never before remember having anyone dare say a word that might besmirch his honor or Lia's like this. His ability to commit to anything had never been called into question. Driven, determined, loyal…. When the hell had having goals made him uncommitted to the woman who supported his decisions and he hers?

Ethan had no conscious awareness of where he was, but he knew where Kimo usually hung out after work. His footsteps took him to the tea shop they had only so recently avoided. There, sitting with a couple of their other local buddies, Kimo was drinking tea and playing cards like nothing was going on. ::Akisa!:: Ethan strode across the room at full speed.

Kimo jumped and turned in his chair, eyes wide; startled, but he did not look surprised. ::Elric,:: he replied neutrally. ::You're back! How'd it go?::

::This isn't about small talk,:: Ethan stopped over the chair, looming as much as his height would allow. It wasn't much, but with Kimo sitting, and the people of this region usually no taller than Ethan and often shorter, it had the effect he wanted. ::This is about you touching my girl!::

Almost everyone in the place – about fifteen people all told – were staring at them both now. The usual crowd, Ethan knew most of them. Right now, he ignored them.

Kimo swallowed, then seemed to gather himself. ::I don't see how it's an issue,:: he responded calmly. ::Lia made her own opinions very clear on the matter.::

::I know that,:: Ethan replied. :What I want to know is what gave you the gall to think you had the right to make a move in the first place?:: His fists were clenched. He tried to unclench them. It didn't work. ::Lia is mine!::

::Well then maybe you should start acting like she's yours:: Kimo replied, standing up slowly, casually. ::You're hardly around, and you say you've known each other since childhood, been together for over four years, and you haven't even _proposed_. Nor does it look like you're planning to. You don't talk about it. Around here, that makes a girl as available as any other. All I did was make a move to see if she was interested.::

::I was fairly certain we had made it clear that we came here _together_,:: Ethan replied with a startling snarl. ::Our personal life is none of your affair.::

::Funny,:: Kimo smiled slightly. ::That's what Lia said. But if that's how you both feel, why don't you just ask her and get married and get it over with instead of living in separate buildings and almost entirely separate lives that barely seem to overlap? I see more of her than you do.::

That was exactly why they weren't married yet. Lia understood that Ethan wanted to get a more regular life schedule before making that commitment. Or so she had always said. But then if that was the case, why had she been crying? At least she'd defended them. Or so he took Kimo's meaning. ::Keep away from her outside work then,:: he couldn't help growling.

::Hey, you don't tell me what to do.:: Kimo stepped forward what little space remained between them, getting angry now. ::It's not my fault you don't know how things work around here and you're too much of a coward to stake a real claim.::

Ethan saw his fist before he realized it was moving. Kimo ducked though and brought his own arm up in a block. Then, about the point Ethan realized he had actually struck first they were into a full out brawl! Fortunately the middle of the room was fairly open because as people jumped back, they managed to knock over a minimum of chairs or anything else in the scuffle. Ethan ignored the tiny voice of reason telling him to stop acting like an idiot; the rest of him had a much stronger desire – to make it very clear that anyone who questioned his devotion to the woman he worshipped was going to pay!

Throbbing pain erupted in his head as Kimo's fist connected with his left eye. Ethan felt his fist connect with something around Kimo's midsection and thought he heard something crack and felt something give…a rib maybe?

Then there were hands all over them hauling Ethan backwards. Enough men made it possible, though when they were finally separated he realized there were _four_ men holding him back.

Kimo was glaring at him across the distance, doubled over, but still restrained.

The owner of the shop – a small, stocky, middle aged Xingese woman – stood between them, scowling. ::The next time you boys come in here you will remember your manners! This is outrageous and disgusting. Go home and cool off.::

Ethan felt the worst of his fury fading, though the adrenaline was still pumping. Feeling honestly contrite he nodded. ::Yes, ma'am.::

Kimo did not look at Ethan, but nodded to her as well. They were released. Without looking at Kimo, Ethan turned and walked out of the restaurant.

Lia was standing in the doorway holding a take-out bag with, what Ethan presumed was his food. Her eyes were big, and Ethan had a sinking feeling she had seen at least the end of that. He paused, waiting for her to say something instead of staring at him.

"Oh Ethan!" Lia reached up as if to touch his eye, but paused when Ethan cringed. "That's going to be quite a mark," she sighed.

"How much did you see?" Ethan asked, beginning to feel ashamed as he regained composure. He was breathing deeply, and aches starting told him he was going to have a few bruises from shots he didn't even remember hitting him. If he'd kept his cool the fight would have been much more one sided in his favor; but Ethan also knew that if he had kept his cool the fight wouldn't have happened in the first place.

"Most of it," Lia admitted with humorless quirked lips. "Mister Tamoto told me to go after you and he'd bring the food."

Ethan's stomach sank. "I'm sorry, Lia. I don't know what came… no," he shook his head and cut off. He knew exactly what had come over him. "I don't want you to doubt how I feel. I've never felt anything like this for anyone else. You know that, right?"

The twist of her mouth slipped into a small smile, perhaps amused despite her exasperation. "Well I'd say you just gave a rather violent public display of either deep devotion or ridiculous jealousy."

"Both." Ethan sighed. "I've never lost it before. It was…"

"Invigorating?"

"I was going to say overwhelming," Ethan quipped. She was right though. "I think I've just proven my parentage with spectacular efficiency." His Dad's temper was rather legendary after all.

"Let's go take care of that eye and you can eat this before it gets cold," Lia held up the food. "But you're going to have to apologize to Kimo you know."

"What for?" Ethan balked.

Lia gave him a long-suffering look. "Because one kiss is not enough to ruin a friendship over. He was being honest." Yet she seemed to be at least a little pleased at his righteous anger at the idea of someone doubting his feelings for her.

"Just don't tell me you liked it," Ethan said as he let her lead him away from the shop.

Lia laughed. "Not one bit. Compared to you it was terrible and besides that," she winked back at him, "I've never been fond of ginseng."

* * *

Dusk was falling. Tore noticed that it kind of came on all at once. One minute the sun was starting to set, the next the sky was dusty bluish purple and a couple of stars were twinkling merrily away in the sky above him as if laughing at the boy below, who was still slogging through soggy woods with almost no sleep, a once more hungry stomach, and a leg with a clearly infected bite that was beginning to throb with every step.

_I don't want to spend another night out here. _It was the only thought that kept Tore going. He would find Fullmetal and the True Soul Alchemist tonight, or at least some kind of town or a house or something! He wouldn't let himself think otherwise. Giving up was not an option, though his body was tired. Tore had always considered himself in pretty good shape. He could keep up with the rigorous workouts and drills Edward always came up with after all. He was surprisingly good at some of the sports they made them do in school too. But this, this took an entirely different type of endurance.

The emotional drain was taking its toll as much as the physical. Tore's dreamless sleep the night before had not been restful.

Maybe if he just kept towards that bright yellow star poking through the trees on the eastern horizon. Then…wait… star? Tore blinked in the fast-sinking dim. That looked like a light! He picked up the pace. Soon there were more lights. _I did it! Take that Fullmetal! Hah! _Tore broke into a jog, regardless of his leg. The end was in sight at last!

Then he burst through the trees and found himself standing in an empty green beside a village; Rosewood if he was lucky. Tore looked around, and frowned for a moment. Most of the town was North of him. Well, at least he hadn't drifted as terribly as he might have. He couldn't be expected to hit the town square on right?

Tore turned and, forcing himself not to limp, headed up along the edge of town. He had a hunch his Teacher would be expecting him. The Swan Inn…that's what Fullmetal had said right?

His hunch was right. Ten minutes later Tore came upon the low-fenced back garden of what looked like a bed and breakfast. Sitting comfortably in the rocking chairs on the back porch with a large pitcher of – he guessed – iced tea, were the two alchemists. Edward grinned and saluted him with his glass. "Congratulations. It only took you twenty-two hours to go about fifteen miles."

Tore felt his face flush with irritation more than pleasure at the statement. "Hey, I got here."

"Yeah, you did," Fullmetal smiled – genuinely as far as Tore could tell. "Care to tell me what the point of this was?"

"I figured you'd finally tell me," Tore growled. He had a few ideas, but he didn't feel like sharing at the moment.

Eyebrows arched; Fullmetal shrugged. "If you got nothing out of it, we can always drop you off somewhere else and try this again."

_Then again…._ "Well, it's about how important priorities are to… to survival I guess. To living?" Tore hoped he was on the right track here. "Some things are more critical than others."

Edward looked at his brother. "What do you say? Good enough."

"I think so," Alphonse smiled. "It's certainly a more articulate answer than the one we gave Izumi for One is All, All is One."

"Then let's go in and have dinner," Fullmetal stood up as Tore came through the garden gate and joined them. "There's a room for you upstairs and a bath waiting. Clean up and then come on down to the dining room and eat."

The idea of a hot bath and a real meal lifted Tore's mood considerably. "Yes, Sir!"

Tore didn't realize he was limping on the stairs until a minute later when Fullmetal gave him a concerned glance. "Are you okay?"

Tore nodded. "Yeah um….an opossum bit me."

Both of the men stopped dead.

"An opossum?" True Soul looked at him in shock. "How did that happen?"

"Oh…" Tore fidgeted. "I guess I…pissed him off…somehow."

**September 18****th****, 1960**

"Did you really urinate on an opossum?" Charisa asked, failing to stifle a chuckle.

Tore groaned. "Yes, alright? It's not that funny. Can we drop it now?" He looked back down at the half-page of history essay on the paper in front of him. They were both sitting at the Elric's living room table doing homework. Tore was glad to be back at the house, but he was still grounded.

"Sorry," Charisa smiled, bending back over her mostly finished essay that she was currently going over for grammatical mistakes. She might not be the worst brainiac in school, but Tore knew that the mind under that long. silky red hair was sharper than most. "I know that can't have been easy. Does your leg feel better?" It was their first study-night since Tore's little adventure that weekend.

"Some thanks," Tore sighed, and smiled back. "We got disinfectant on it right off and it's fine now." He just couldn't stay mad at Charisa for long no matter how irritated he was. She was his best friend. She was also, he had never been afraid to admit to himself, damned good looking! He could watch her for hours when they worked together; her big eyes gazing intently at the work in front of her, hair framing that perfect face; those lips that just screamed to be kissed.

Not that Tore had ever had that pleasure. Right now, thanks to Fullmetal, he wasn't getting any of that pleasure right now with _any _girl!

"Well it sounds like it was a good experience," Charisa replied, still scanning her paper.

"Good?" Tore snorted, admiration vanishing. "It was nuts! I mean, there has to be a better way to do things than leaving me entirely on my own in the woods. It could have been worse than a giant fanged rodent!"

Charisa looked up, her smile fading. "You don't get it do you?"

"Get what?" Tore asked. "That he enjoys making me work my ass off and jump at his every command?"

"Being grounded, the trip… do you understand why Mr. Elric does these things at all?" Charisa asked, her eyes flashing slightly, but her tone still perfectly reasonable. "He cares what happens to you, Terrence. You asked him to be your Teacher, and that's what he's doing. Did you think alchemy was all transmutations?"

She was the_ only_ person Tore would let get away with calling him by his first name. "What do you know about alchemy?"

"I've been watching you practice for long enough," Charisa countered easily, unruffled. "Life's not that simple. You should know that better than even I do. He's just trying to make sure you use what common sense is in that thick skull of yours and don't close off your options before realizing it's already too late."

"I'm not doing anything stupid," Tore objected, a little sullenly. "I'm passing school. I'm doing my studies. What's wrong with having a life?"

"That _is _life," Charisa pointed at him with her pen as if he had just said a point she had been planning to make. "Everything we do right now sets up or ends options we'll have later, and we don't have any way to know for sure what's going to happen tomorrow. Pays to be smart now don't you think?" She clearly meant more than book smart too. Tore understood the need to be street wise.

Tore smirked. "You should be a lawyer."

"That _is_ the idea."

"True, true," Tore looked back down at his paper. "But it's not like I'm the only guy who ever stayed out late on a date."

"Given the company you're keeping, I don't think the hour is Mr. Elric's primary concern." There was an odd note in Charisa's voice; disapproval likely. Closest friends as they might be, she had expressed, once, clearly how much she thought his taste in girls was abysmal. After that though, she had not said much on the subject.

"Like you haven't been out late yourself," Tore retorted. He wasn't particularly fond of most of the guys Charisa went out with either. She was gorgeous, smart, talented, and popular… well off. Charisa naturally drew the attention of every guy in school and, somehow, she always seemed to be going out with one whom Tore would rather have had the chance to beat up in sparring practice than have to smile at across the table at lunch some days.

"Not without telling my folks first." Charisa seemed to have an answer for everything didn't she? "And at least my taste doesn't run towards girls who'd kiss a dog if it knew how to flirt."

"They're not all like that!" Tore set his own pen down and glared across the table. Okay, a couple of them were, but that didn't bug him. He didn't like them for their loyalty. "I happen to have fantastic taste in women."

"Name one," Charisa looked back at him with an even gaze, "One girl you like who isn't praying she'll be the first girl to worm her way into your pants."

The word came out without Tore thinking about it. "You."

For once, the ever-ready Miss Charisa Breda had a moment of pause. Tore couldn't decide if she was furious or inordinately pleased as she looked back down at her paper for a moment. Was she going to laugh, yell, what? The silence made him feel very uncomfortable.

Finally, Charisa looked up at him again. "I wondered if you'd ever say it."

That wasn't the answer Tore had been expecting. Okay, so he hadn't really been expecting one in particular. "You knew?"

"Given how you glare at my boyfriends… I guessed," Charisa admitted. "I know you that well."

If there was anyone who did it was her. Tore nodded, and now he felt slightly embarrassed for his earlier flare of temper. "Yeah, I guess so." Well, with that out of the way, could it hurt to take the risk he'd avoided, trying not to ruin their existing closeness? "So then… if I say… did what you and Fullmetal are saying I should…. Would you go out with me?" An amused but genuinely happy smile appeared on Charisa's face. "When you're not grounded anymore… I'll _consider_ it."

* * *

**Author's note:** Finished!

And there you have it, my one and only piece of real 'bathroom' humor in all of my FMA fan fiction. ;) And it has nothing to do with an actual bathroom. Personally, I feel a little sorry for the opossum. ;)

I hope you all enjoyed this one! The next one's longer again. Promise! Dramatic too!


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